Gerri Colombe has attracted strong market support for the King George VI Chase at Kempton and is now favourite for the Boxing Day feature with several firms.
The market move comes on the back of a strange Saturday in Britain, which saw Shishkin refuse to jump off with the others on his intended seasonal return in the Nirvana Spa 1965 Ascot Chase (for which Timeform have now given the horse a squiggle), and the reigning King George hero, Bravemansgame, suffer his second defeat of the season when runner-up to Royale Pagaille in Haydock's Betfair Chase.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Gerri Colombe, a three-time Grade 1 winner as a novice last season but narrowly beaten in Cheltenham's Brown Advisory Novices' Chase in March, resumed with another top-flight success at Down Royal earlier this month and is entered for the King George, along with the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.
Elliott said no decision has been taken in his rising star's snext target, saying: "Everything is still kind of up in the air and everything is open. We’ve got the King George, Leopardstown and the race at Cheltenham. There’s no decision made, we will just wait to see what the ground is and make a decision nearer the time.
“We won’t know for two weeks what we are doing.”
When asked if the drama-filled events over the weekend make saddling a first King George runner since Don Cossack in 2015 more tempting, Elliott added: “To be honest, I just worry about my own horse, I don’t worry about anyone else.”
Paddy Power were forced to cut Gerri Colombe to 5/2 favourite from 10/1 on Monday following support for the Irish ace, while his Brown Advisory conqueror, The Real Whacker, has attracted each-way support and is now 12/1 from 25/1 with the same firm.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Gerri Colombe now heads the market as defeat for Bravemansgame at Haydock makes him look vulnerable and there are all sorts of question marks over Shishkin after his recalcitrance at Ascot.
“Both these things might well make the mid-winter highlight more attractive to Gordon Elliott than staying at home for the Savills.
“The same things apply for The Real Whacker who has more than halved in price today and given he was struck into and was lame after the Paddy Power Gold Cup, punters seem determined to give that fellow another chance."
Paddy Power King George VI Chase betting:
Gerri Colombe 5/2, Bravemansgame 11/4, Allaho 9/2, Shishkin 5/1, L'Homme Presse 8/1, Royale Pagaille 12/1, Pic D'Orhy 12/1, The Real Whacker 12/1, Galopin Des Champs 16/1.
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